# Accident 20051221029069A: Piper PA22108, Spirit Lake, IA, December 21, 2005

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: December 21, 2005, 10:15 local time
- Place: Spirit Lake, IA
- Airport: Private
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Phase of flight: Level Off Touchdown
- Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
- Location: 43.3875° N, 95.1392° W: From the FAA
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=43.3875&lon=-95.1392&mi=10
- Aircraft: N4680Z, registered now (https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N4680Z) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: Piper PA-22-108 (registry code 7102204, https://openairdocs.org/model/piper-pa-22-108) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: Lycoming 0-235 series (registry code 41505, https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-0-235-series) (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: PIPER PA22108
- People aboard: 1
- Fatal injuries: 0
- Pilot flight hours: 340 total, 280 in this make and model, 2 in the last 90 days
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB CHI06CA049](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CHI06CA049) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/20051221029069A

## Narrative

As the FAA filed it, in capitals; the FAA replaces private details with ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^.

(-23) PILOT DEPARTED JACKSON, MN ON A VFR FLIGHT TO HIS PRIVATE AIRSTRIP LOCATED APPROXIMATELY 8 NM WEST OF THE ESTHERVILLE, IA AIRPORT (EST). THE NIGHT BEFORE HE HAD CLEARED HIS PRIVATE STRIP OF MOST OF THE SNOW;HOWEVER, DUE TO THE ROUGHNESS OF THE FIELD, A FEW INCHES OF SNOW REMAINED. DURING THE NIGHT, THE SNOW HAD FORMED A CRUST. UPON TOUCHDOWN, THE RIGHT MAIN WHEEL TOUCHED DOWN ON PACKED SNOW, WHILE THE LEFT MAIN WHEEL BROKE THROUGH THE CRUST CAUSING THE AIRCRAFT TO PULL TO THE LEFT. THE PILOT APPLIED CORRECTIVE ACTION, BUT THIS CAUSED THE RIGHT MAIN LANDING GEAR TO MOVE FROM THE PACKED SNOW TO SOME DEEPER CRUSTED SNOW. THE AIRCRAFT THEN SWERVED TO THE RIGHT INTO THE SNOW PILED ALONG THE EDGE OF THE RUNWAY. THIS CAUSED THE AIRCRAFT TO CONTINUE INTO DEEPER SNOW. EVENTUALLY, THE NOSE GEAR STRUCK THE UNPLOWED EDGE OF THE RUNWAY, AND THE AIRCRAFT FLIPPED OVER CAUSING SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE. THE PILOT WAS COUNSELED ON HIS DECISION TO LAND ON THE RUNWAY WHEN HE WAS UNSURE OF THE RUNWAY SURFACE CONDITIONS. THE PILOT STATED THAT HE SHOULD HAVE INSPECTED THE RUNWAY THAT MORNING, PRIOR TO ATTEMPTING THE LANDING. ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED

## The NTSB's investigation of this event (1)

From the NTSB's public API. Aircraft are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported serial number, make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.

- [NTSB CHI06CA049](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CHI06CA049), Dec 21, 2005: Piper PA-22-108 (N4680Z), Spirit Lake, IA, substantial damage. Probable cause: The pilot using an unsuitable runway and not maintaining directional control during the landing leading to the nose over on impact with snow. A factor was the snow that remained on the runway after…

From the FAA Accident/Incident Data System. Reports are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model. For accidents, the NTSB's own investigation is the fuller record.

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